Egg case



March 4,1924. 1,486,026-

B. A. LANGE4 EGG CASE Filed Nv. 24. 1922 .EW TTOE EY,

Patented Mar. 4, 1924,

,insane PATENT -JoFvFlcE. A

BERTHOLD A. LANGE, F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI;

Eea cAsE.

' Application led November 24, 1922. Serial N'o. 60.2,974.`

To all whom t may concern:

Be 1t known that I, BEETHOLD A. LANGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Mis- 5 souri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in dEgg Cases, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The transportation of eggs is one of the largest and most difficultphases of commerce. The value of the egg and its fragility combine tomake any saving of breakage of extreme economic importance. Many kindsof egg-cases or crates havebeen tried,

but all possess some defect or another. The

construction herein shown and described is one of the best forprotecting the eggs from breakage, and the specific object of thisinvention is to make the egg-.crate less flimsy and to stilfen orstabilize the same. Another 2o specific object of this invention is toembody in the case or filler itself a substitute for the loose diaphragmcommonly inserted between egg-crates.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, 1nwhich like numbers of reference they occur,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tier composed of two of thesedevices; and

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a modification or alternative form.

A box 1 may or may not denote like parts wherever l be used to inclosethe fillers embodying this invention. The fillers may be arranged in aplurality of as many tiers as desired or may be used singly.

Each ller comprises a plurality lof flexible strips 2, arranged atsubstantially a rightangle to a plurality of liexible strips 3, the samebeing preferably interlocked, which may be by any suitable means, suchfor instance (as shown in the drawing) as there being slits 4 and 5 inthe strips 2 and 3, faced oppositely .to each other and overlapping theopposing strip. Notches 6 in 'f strips 2 and 3 receive the part of theopposing strip not cut away. Y

Instead ofthe usual diaphragm between tiers of eggs each row of pockets7 is provided with a lid 8, which can be used for the said purpose asthe said diaphragm, namely a oor upon which the eggs in the upperpockets can'rest.

When it is desired to remove a crate composed of a plurality of strips 2and 3 it is merely lifted and the eggs remain each upon its underlyinglidV 8v until removed by hand u or otherwise. It is thus unnecessary topick each individual egg out of its pocket 7l In practice hitherto ithas been observed that the diaphragms between crates or tiers dov notinanywise stiffen the same and such crates are flexible and flimsy andeasily collapsible by force exerted from any direction. This tends tobreakagelof the eggs.

The lids 8`stilfen the structure, and especially when bearing asuperimposed -weight or held by friction render the crate as stii asneed be and uncollapsible by side thrust or ordinary pressure.

The strips 2 and 3 form partitions and side walls, and their endsterminatein projections 9. The lids 8 project so as to overlie the saidprojections 9 and thus to protect the same from being bent or broken.When they are bent or broken the breakage of eggs in the crate isincreased.' i

In Figure 1y the partition 10 is shown composed of double strips 2, withthe lids 8 springing therefrom turned to the right and to the left. Thenext partition 2 to the right bears a lid 8 turned to the right, whilethe next partition 2 to the left bears a lid turned to the left. Thisarrangement is carried on to both the ri ht and the left to form as manypockets as may be desired. This is a neat and economical arrangemen. Analternative form is, however, illustrated in Figure 2, in which the lids8 of the 'outside partitions 2 bear lids 8 turning inwardly. The otherlids 8 may be turned either to the right or to the left. The lids 8 maybe formed integral with the partitions 2 or attached thereto by anysuitable means, but in the drawings they strips or partitions 2. In theform shown in Figure 2 the bend 11l forms a hanger for the two outsidelids 8.

This egg-crate filler is adapted to be co1- lapsed for shipmentor'reshipment and thus to occupy very little space; but when filled witheggs in its pockets the stiiening strips maintain it in a condition notreadily to be collapsed or caused to yield or bend under ordinarypressure.

The stiffening strip or strips may be on either the top or the bottom ofthe eggcase or partially on top and partially on the bottom.

Having thus described this invention, I

parts, .as it is evident that many minor changes may be made thereinwithout des parting from the spirit of this invention or the scope ofthe following claims.

I claim:

1. An egg-crate filler formed of flexible strips arranged transverselyof each other so as to form pockets and each of the strips extending'inone direction only carrying a strip extension forming a. lid for eachindividual row of pockets and a floor on the superposed row of pockets.

2. An egg-crate filler formed oi .stri-ps of cardboard or .the likearranged at substantially a right angle to each other and provided Withinterlocking means and hav-V ing marginal projections and each of thestrips extending Vin one direction carrying a lid overlying the saidprojections and constituting a floor for the superposed filler. Y .Y

3. An egg-crate filler composed of strips 25 of ieXible ,materialkarranged transversely so notched with relation to each other and as tointerlock, and a plurality of stiiening strips forming lids for thespaces between of flexible material arranged transverse y with relationto each other and so notched as to interlock, and a plurality ofstiening strips forming lids for the spaces between the strips andfloors for the spaces between the strips of the superposed filler, thesaid first-mentioned strips. forming marginal projections and the saidstiliening strips overlying the same.

5. A cellular filler foregg-crates include.r

ing a vertical partition-istrip constituting a cell wall having one.longitudinal edge -directed laterally of the open top-of thecell andthen return bent upon itself and errtended in an opposite direction toandbeyond the vertical portion of said vstrip to form a lid for the opentop of the cell and a -loor for the adjacent portion of the superposediiller.

In testimony whereof I hereunto vaix :my signature.

Bnnrnonn n. LANGEQ

